20 



The search t'or the bottom-stages has beeu carried out partly from the 

 »Salhngsuud«, partly from a small boat, and partly by wading. From the »Sal- 

 lingsund« we have used the young-fish trawl on the bottom, sometimes on blocks, 

 especially on the plant- vegetation. We have investigated sometimes the deepest 

 piaces in each of the various regions sometimes the shallower waters right in to 

 ca. l'/j fathoms. 



I shall liere restrict myself to our iuvestigations, as A. C. Johansen will 

 discuss his own catches of the bottom-stages taken duriug the cruises with 

 the »Thor«. 



Bottom-stages of species with pelagic eggs. 



In deep water we have taken the bottom-stages of the rod, tvJiifing, dah 

 and long-rough-dah. The bottom-stages of the cod and whiting have usually how- 

 ever been taken in shallower water amongst the plant- vegetation.* 



The bottom-stages of the plaice and ffoiinder have ouly been taken during 

 our use of the young-fish trawl from the »Sallingsund«, when we fished on clean 

 sandy bottom near the coast (see however p. 42). Usually however tha clean, 

 sandy flåts in the waters withiu the Skaw do not extend out into depths, where 

 the »Sallingsund« eau come; and we have therefore been obliged to investigate 

 the sand at the coasts from a small boat or by wading. These, the socalled 

 coast-investigations were carried out by means of shove-nets of various fineness as 

 well as small-meshed seines. In addition to plaice and flounder we also caught 

 there the bottom-stages of the sole, tiirhot and brill. 



When I mention further that we sometimes fouud the bottom-stages of 

 labroids (Lahrus sp.) on algæ-covered ground, the list of the species with pelagic 

 eggs whose young in the bottom-stages were fouud in Danish waters within the 

 Skaw is ended. Eveu the species named are usually fouud in greater uumber 

 in the bottom-stage iu the waters beyond the Skaw than inside this. The reason 

 for this, as already mentioned, is that the currents aiTect the pelagic eggs and 

 young aud carry away the majority from the waters witliin the Skaw before the 

 bottom-stage is reached. 



Bottom-stages of species with demersal eggs. 



Like the young of species with pelagic eggs, the young of species with 

 demersal eggs seek diilerent kinds of localities in the transition to the bottom-stage. 

 The greatest uumber of species are fouud amongst the plant-vegetation at the 

 coasts. 'V^e have fouud there the young of the three- and nine-spmed sticldehack 

 (Gasterosteus actdeatus and xmngitms), fifteenspined siicJdehack (Spinacliia vidgaris), 

 viviparous hlenny (Zoarces viviparus), some species of gohies (Gohius sp.), himpsnclcer 

 (Cydopterus liimpus), garfish (Belone acus), as also of species of pipe-fish (Syngnatlms 

 sp. and Nerophis sp.). The species of young mentioned have however no well- 

 marked pelagic stage, but are in more or less degree bound to the plant-vegetation 



* On such a locality wc onoe took a jiolUnk (Gadits poUachius) , which pei-ha|is Ijelonged 

 to the 0-group. 



D. 2 — 11 — 03. Off Staureishoved (Great Belt), ca. 4 fiu. Zosiera, .stones. Dan. trawl: 

 1 Gadus pollachms, 14 Ctm. 



